Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America’s Doctor

“Don’t get discouraged,” Anthony Fauci’s pharmacist father told him anytime the boy had homework problems. “Think about it carefully and try to work it out.” Anthony loved to play basketball, but he wasn’t as tall as the other players, so he thought about it carefully and worked out that he’d be speedy instead, a tack that resulted in his becoming team captain. With a love of talking to people, and listening to what they had to say, Fauci’s curiosity and persistence led him to graduate first in his medical school class, and then to a career specializing in “what makes people sick... and how to make them well.” Bye (Fly, Girl, Fly!) illustrates with animation-style artwork, bathing Fauci family lore in a golden-hour glow—except for the scenes depicting the Covid-19 epidemic, which lean toward steely blues. In straightforward prose, Messner (the History Smashers series) underscores the support and love Fauci got from his family as well as his ability to relate to people, gifts that grounded his professional success as an adult. Back matter includes information about how vaccines work and vaccine safety, and “Dr. Fauci’s five tips for future scientists.”Ages 4–8. [em](June) [/em]